Common visual impairments, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness, often first appear in young children. If your child's visual impairment goes untreated for too long, it may hinder his or her success in school and also make it harder for your child to play and interact with others. As a parent, you need to be on the lookout for the following signs that your child might need glasses.

Your child's grades are suddenly slipping.

Barring some other obvious explanation like illness or trauma, a sudden drop in your child's grades could indicate that he or she can no longer see the blackboard well. Talk to your child and see where they sit in class and whether they can see the board clearly. Some kids won't admit not being able to see the board, so you'll have to use knowledge of your own child's behavior to judge whether or not you're getting a truthful answer.

Sitting close to the television.

Does your child prefer to sit on the floor right in front of the TV instead of on the couch? This is a sign that he or she cannot see the television well and needs to see the eye doctor. You should also be wary if your child puts his or her face very close to the computer screen.

Your child squints when looking at things.

Squinting helps a child with poor vision see more clearly when focusing on a certain object. If you notice your child squinting when reading a book, looking at the television, or engaging in other behaviors that require sight, it is time to call the eye doctor. Note that some kids will squint with one eye, while others will squint with both.

Bumping into things.

Some kids are clumsier than others. If your child has always been clumsy, that's one thing. But if he or she has suddenly started to bump into things, drop things, or fall down more often, this could be a sign that his or her vision is declining. Your child might not be able to see the edges of objects clearly, and this can lead to bumping into them or not grasping them strongly.

Complaining of headaches.

There are many possible explanations for frequent headaches, including stress, lack of sleep, and sinus infections. But, if your child is complaining of headaches a lot, one of the first things you'll want to have checked is his or her eyes. If your child's vision is fine, your eye doctor will likely recommend seeing your child's pediatrician to further investigate the cause of the headaches. To learn more, speak with a business like Premier Eye Care & Surgery.